Energy saving housing

A project based at

which looks at how to save energy generated by housing is to be part funded by the European Commission's Intelligent Energy Executive Agency (IEEA).

The €500,000 project will be co-ordinated by Dr Ryan Southall and Professor Mike McEvoy from the university's School of Architecture and Design.

To heat and cool houses consumes large amounts of energy and causes significant emissions of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels. These greenhouse gases cause climate change, an increasingly urgent problem which has been linked to extreme weather conditions around the globe.

The project, entitled Advanced Ventilation Approaches for Social Housing (AVASH), aims to determine the best ventilation strategy for existing social housing in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, from the point of view of energy efficiency and comfort for people.

The project will involve the assessment of a broad range of social housing stock in each of the three countries. Using advanced sensor equipment, the researchers will investigate the state of thermal insulation and level of airtightness. Computer simulation techniques will then be used to determine the best ventilation systems for the dwellings.

'The results of the project will inform social housing providers across the continent looking to upgrade social housing stock as well as increasing home energy efficiency,' said Dr Ryan Southall.

The research project involves four partners including Cenergia Energy Consultants (Denmark), EcoCo Sustainable Building Consultants (Ireland), KAB-Building and Housing Management (Denmark) and Cluid Housing Association (Ireland).

Sub-contractors to the project include Camden City Council (UK) and Flop System Sp. z o.o. in Poland.

The project runs for two years and will address the commission's 'key action' of retrofitting social housing.